Sacred Heart Academy's Leah
Stevens is not only one of
the top athletes in the state of Kentucky but one of the premier swimmers in the
country.

Stevens was an
11-time Kentucky High School state champion at Sacred Heart, including three
individual wins in 2015. She helped the Valkyries to three team state titles and
she holds the state high school record in 500 freestyle and was a member of two
record-setting relays (200 and 400 freestyle).

During her
time at Sacred Heart, Stevens was a 14-time high school All-American and three
times was named a scholastic All-American.

A member of
Lakeside Swim Team, Stevens is headed to Stanford for college and was a member
of the 2014-15 USA Swimming National Junior Team.

Stevens
represented the U.S. in international meets in 2014 in Maui and 2013 in Japan.
She won the 2013 U.S. Winter Junior Nationals in the 1,650-yard freestyle and in
2012 won the 500 and 1,650 free at that meet.

In all,
Stevens holds 19 individual Kentucky age-group record and seven relay state
records. She is the No. 19 recruit in the country per "SwimSwam," which covers
swimming news.

Skyler Griffith,
Williamsburg High School

Williamsburg High School senior
Skyler Griffith is one of
the elite high school athletes in the state of Kentucky – and he does it in
multiple sports.

Griffith was a
quarterback for the football team and helped the Yellowjackets to back-to-back
Class A state title runner-up seasons and, in basketball, helped his school to
its first Sweet 16 appearance since 1946. The young man, who is also playing on
the baseball team as a senior, was the star of both sports for the
Yellowjackets. He is planning to attend the University of the Cumberland and
play football in college.

"Skyler is a
down-to-earth young man who never gets rattled no matter how big the stage he is
on," says Williamsburg football coach Jerry Herron. In football, Griffith
completed 133 passes for 2,604 yards and 43 touchdowns with just two
interceptions as a senior. He also rushed for 834 yards and 16 TDs and finished
his career with a 45-10 record on the gridiron.

A
member of the Class of the Commonwealth team and a four-year Associated Press
All-State honorable mention selection, Griffith finished his career with 1,060
yards rushing and 20 TDs and 178 catches for 3,676 yards and 40 TDs.

Griffith
finished with 424 career points scored, 101 tackles and 12 interceptions.
Williamsburg lost to Mayfield in back-to-back state title games.

In basketball,
Griffith was named 13th Region Player of the Year after he averaged 15 points a
game while shooting 49.2% from the floor. He was a 39.6 percent shooter from
three-point range and averaged 4.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists.

Griffith
finished his basketball career with 1,291 points and was a Kentucky Mr.
Basketball nominee. He also played baseball for two seasons.

Looking back:

Dr. Rudy J.
Ellis
Sports Medicine Center
2014 High School Athletes of the Year

As part of
the KAHF program, two high school standout athletes
also were recognized at our Wednesday, June 18, 2014, event
at Louisville's Crowne Plaza Hotel:

Alexa FilleyAssumption
High School

and

Nacarius Fant Bowling Green High School

Alexa Filley,

Assumption

By Jody Demling

A two-time first-team All-State performer and twice a State Tournament MVP,
Alexa Filley turned in an illustrious career on the volleyball court at
Assumption High School. Filley led the Rockets to the state tournament title in
four consecutive years and was named MVP as a junior and a senior.
Filley was such a standout for the Rockets she became just the fourth athlete in
Kentucky history to be named Gatorade National Player of the Year in her sport.
The 5-foot-9 Auburn signee joins former Leslie County quarterback Tim Couch and
former Fort Thomas Highlands girls’ basketball player Jaime Walz and Southern
girls’ basketball player Lisa Harrison as the only national winners from the
Bluegrass State.

Filley finished with had 1,248 assists, 334 digs, 102 kills, 58 blocks and 41
service aces during her career. She was a second team Under Armour All-American
as a senior and was named the 14th winner of the state’s Gatorade Player of the
Year honor from Assumption since 1997.

In the classroom, Filley is also a standout. She sports a 3.91 GPA and scored in
the 91st percentile nationally on the ACT. She volunteers with Special Olympics,
the Healing Place soup kitchen and also assists in a second-grade classroom.

Filley will also get a trip to the ESPY Awards this summer in Los Angeles, a
perk for the 12 Gatorade National Player of the Year winners.

Nacarius Fant,

Bowling Green

By Jody Demling

One of the top two-sport athletes statewide in recent memory, Bowling Green High
School’s Nacarius Fant earned his first statewide recognition on the football
field but was also a standout in basketball and dabbled in some baseball.

Fant helped lead the Purples to three straight undefeated seasons and Class 5A
state titles, earning Kentucky Mr. Football honors as a senior. A wide receiver
headed to Western Kentucky University, the 5-foot-11, 175-pound Fant was only
the second Mr. Football from the Bowling Green-area after Warren Central’s Damon
Hood in 1990.

Fant finished his senior season with 83 catches, 1,699 yards and 24 touchdowns.
He played on the varsity level since his freshman year and owns every major
receiving record in program history. Fant finished with 4,473 career receiving
yards (third in state history), 52 touchdowns (tied for fourth) and 227
receptions (tied for fifth). As a football player, Fant was ranked as a
three-star prospect by Scout.com and Rivals.com and picked WKU over Kentucky,
Purdue and several others.

On the basketball court, Fant helped lead the Purples to a 29-7 record and a
Fourth Region championship. The Purples made it to the Sweet 16 semifinals
before losing to eventual state champion Covington Catholic.

Fant averaged 12.9 points a game on the season, including 31 in the semifinal
loss. He was named to the Sweet 16 All-Tournament team and is playing baseball
this spring.

The Western
Kentucky Hilltoppers' new head football coach Jeff Brohm was on hand to see
Nacarius Fant recognized as a Kentucky High School Athlete of the Year. Fant has
declared for Western, which moves into Conference USA next season.

A Louisville
native who played quarterback for the U of L Cardinals, Brohm was inducted into
the KAHF in 2010. The former NFL quarterback has sent 20 players including four
QBs to the pros. Brohm hopes Fant develops quickly because, "In our first year,
our goal is to win the conference championship."

In addition to
his new coach being on hand, Fant had family and friends providing support and
sharing his moment in the spotlight at the June 18 event.
Unfortunately, his female counterpart as Kentucky High School Athlete of the
Year, Alexa Filley, had an out-of-town scheduling conflict and could not attend
to personally accept her recognition.

Looking back
...

2013 High School Athletes of the Year

As part of
the KAHF program, three high school standout athletes
also were recognized at our Thursday, June 13, 2013 event
at Louisville's Crowne Plaza Hotel:
James Quick of Trinity
High School; Rebecca Greenwell of Owensboro
Catholic High School;
Makayla Epps
of Marion County High School.

Makayla Epps,
Marion County High School

A four-time
first-team All-State selection, Makayla Epps had an illustrious career at
Marion County High School that ended with a 39-0 senior season with the Lady
Knights. She led Marion County to the state’s first undefeated state
championship since 1984 when Marshall
County
accomplished the rare feat. Epps was named a McDonald’s All-American and was
named Kentucky Miss Basketball and was also honored as the state’s Gatorade
Player of the Year. She was a second-team member of the USA Today
All-American team. As a senior, Epps averaged 22.8 points, 4.9 assists, 4.5
rebounds and 4.1 steals per game. With a career that she started on the
varsity level as a sixth grader, Epps finished as the state’s sixth all-time
leading scorer with 3,321 points. She also ranked in the top 10 all-time in
state history in career steals with 618 and career assists with 839.

Epps is the daughter of former University of Kentucky point guard Anthony
Epps, who guided the U.K. Wildcats to the 1996 NCAA national men’s
basketball championship. The All-Star Girls Report ranks Makayla Epps as the
No. 15 player nationally in the Class of 2013, while she’s ranked No. 21 by
Blue Star Basketball. The younger Epps has signed with Kentucky.

James Quick,
Louisville Trinity High School

One of the
greatest athletes in state history, James Quick became a star at Trinity
High School as a freshman. He became the first freshman to start for Trinity
in a football game and played the final nine games as a freshman, starting
one of the greatest runs of any player in state history. Quick helped the
Shamrocks to three consecutive Class 6-A state titles, including a national
championship in 2011. He became
the only player in state history to catch a touchdown pass in four
consecutive state championship games. Quick was named Kentucky Mr. Football
and was honored with the Gatorade State Player of the Year Award plus the
Paul Hornung Award, which is given to the state’s top player. Quick was also
named to the U.S Army All-American game where he caught the game-winning
touchdown and was named MVP of the game, which included the top 80 players
nationally. As a senior, Quick had 85 catches for 1,413 yard and 16
touchdowns in 12 games. He finished his career as the state’s all-time
leader in receptions with 280 and was third in receiving yards (4,437) and
touchdowns (57).

Quick
is ranked as a top 100 prospect by the scouting services and
has signed with the University of Louisville. He’s the highest-ranked player
to ever sign with U of L. But it’s not just his prowess on the football
field that makes Quick a star athlete. He became the first player ever in
Kentucky to lead a team to a state football and basketball title when he helped the
Shamrocks to the 2012 Boys’ Sweet 16 championship. He was a key player on
that team, earning All-State honorable mention honors in basketball. Quick
also won the 200-meter run in the Class 3-A state track and field meet four
years in a row. He’s expected to also run track at U of L. Quick’s father, Rhonyia, played football at Louisville and his mother, Jennene, ran track at
Middle Tennessee State.

Rebecca Greenwell,
Owensboro Catholic High School

One of the top
players nationally in the Class of 2013, Greenwell was named a first-team
USA Today All-American after her senior season. She averaged 23.1
points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.2 steals a game at Owensboro
Catholic as a senior, despite playing with a torn ligament in her right
knee. Greenwell, who missed her junior season because of a knee injury, was
also one of three finalists for the Naismith Girls’ High School Player of
the Year award, was a McDonald’s All-American and was also named a WBCA
All-American. As a senior in a game against Whitesville Trinity, Greenwell
set a national record with 17 three-pointers. Greenwell led Owensboro
Catholic to the Class A State Championship, and then later in the season the
Lady Aces made it to the quarterfinals of the Sweet 16. Despite missing an
entire season, Greenwell still finished her career with 3,306 points, which
ranks seventh all-time in state history. She had 1,322 career rebounds.

Greenwell is ranked as the No. 4 player nationally by Girls Basketball
Report and checks in as the No. 6 player by ESPN’s HoopGurlz. She has signed
to play at Duke. She also has had success on the international stage,
helping the U-16 USA National team to a gold medal in 2011 when she was
named co-MVP, while also helping the U-17 team to the World Championship
title in 2012.

Boone County High standout Sydney
Moss, Kentucky’s Miss
Basketball, and Johnson Central sports star
J. J. Jude have been named
to receive the Dr. Rudy J. Ellis Sports Medicine High School Athlete of the Year
awards at next month’s Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame banquet in Louisville.

Moss, who is the
daughter of All-Pro wide receiver Randy Moss, led Boone County to two Ninth
Region titles and set a school career records for points scored. She
will play her college ball at the University of Florida.

Jude, a two-sport
athlete, set a Kentucky career rushing record in football. He also won
back-to-back state titles in the 171-pound weight class in wrestling. He
finished his career on a 170-match winning streak in wrestling. He has signed to
play football at Eastern Kentucky. More pictures soon!

Sydney Moss,
Boone County High

Boone County High
School senior Sydney Moss excelled at one sport at the high school level. She
was a a high-level basketball player.

The 5-foot-10
guard for the Rebels was named Kentucky’s Miss Basketball after a sensational
high school career that saw her ranked as a top 50 player nationally.

"She posses a
unique skill set and versatility and can play any position on the floor well and
has raised the level of play of her teammates," Boone County coach Nell Fookes
says. "Not only has our program benefited from Sydney’s talent and competitive
nature, but I feel that she has raised the level of awareness and interest for
girls’ basketball in the entire Northern Kentucky area. Her unselfish play,
athleticism and humble mannerism have made her a fan favorite."

Moss, the daughter
of NFL All-Pro wide receiver Randy Moss, is a three-time All-State selection and
was named Ninth Region Player of the Year.

Moss played as an
eighth-grader at Heritage Christian and then as a freshman at Ryle High School
before starring for three years at Boone County. She helped the Lady Rebels to
the Girls’ Sweet 16 as a sophomore and senior.

The University of
Florida signee averaged 23.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 4.1 steals and
1.6 blocks as a senior for the Lady Rebels.

Moss, who was born
in West Virginia, finished her career with 2,997 points and 1,602 rebounds. She
wound up shooting 53.6 percent from the field for her career. In her three years
at Boone
County, she set a record for scoring (2,267) and finished second in rebounds (1,074).

J.J. Jude,
Johnson Central High

Johnson Central
High School football coach Jim Matney says he’s "never seen anything like" the
career J.J. Jude had during his high school days.

Jude, a 5-foot-10,
190-pound multi-sport standout, goes down as one of Kentucky’s all-time best
male athletes in recent memory.

In
football, Jude was a running back and set a new state record for career rushing
yards, while he won two state titles and was a runner-up in a national meet in
wrestling. He also ran track and finished second in the 200-meter dash.

"He’s been amazing
for our school and is a great kid," Matney notes.

Jude was a
two-time first-team Courier-Journal All-State selection in football and
ended his career with 8,637 rushing yards. He broke the old record for career
rushing yards set by former Fort Knox and University of Kentucky standout Derek
Homer.

As a senior, Jude
ran for 3,061 yards and 31 TDs to become the first Kentucky player to surpass
3,000 yards twice. He's only the sixth player to reach 3,000 in any season,
doing it as a junior and a senior.

As a junior, Jude
set a state record for yards in a game with 584 in a win over Woodford County.
He finished that season with 331 carries for 3,258 yards – second in state
history for a single season – and 31 TDs.

In wrestling, Jude
made it to the state tournament six years and placed five times. He won the
170-pound title as a junior and senior. Matney said he was a runner-up in a
national wrestling meets during his sophomore season.

Jude also played
some baseball for Johnson Central.

Jude has signed to
play football at Eastern Kentucky University.

The 2012 Kentucky high school
male athlete of the year, J.J. Jude,
posed just before sitting down for the June 7 induction dinner with (at left)
his parents, James and Tammy Jude, and Johnson Central
High School football coach Jim Matney and his wife, Debbie.

Also at the J.J. Jude table for
the recognition event held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Louisville was Jude's
cousin B.J. Gilliam (standing at left). Golden Eagles assistant
football coach
Mark Salyers sits with his son, Aaron Salyers.

The 2012 Kentucky high school
female athlete of the year, Sydney Moss, is shown with
Boone County High
School
coach Nell Fookes and Sydney's grandparents, Frank and Sissy Offutt.

Moss
and Jude were honored as
the 2012 Dr. Rudy J. Ellis Sports Medicine Center High School Athletes of the Year during
the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame 2012 Induction Banquet on Wednesday evening, June 7, 2012, at the Crowne Plaza
Hotel,
Louisville.

Sara Hammond and
DeVante Parker Named Kentucky's 2011 Top High School Athletes

By Jody Demling
Induction Photos by Jim Reed

DeVante Parker,
Louisville Ballard High

The state’s top
two-sport athlete in the Class of 2011, DeVante Parker, a product of
Louisville’s Ballard High School, was one of the leading candidates for both Mr.
Football and Mr. Basketball honors. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound
Parker becomes the first player from Louisville to make first-team All-State in
both football and basketball since Male’s Michael Bush, who is now in the NFL,
did it in 2002. Parker was a first-team All-State pick at wide receiver in
football. A two-time first-team All-State member in football, Parker caught 68
passes for 1,793 yards — 26.4 yards a catch — and 19 touchdowns as a senior. The
single-season yardage total ranks fourth all-time in state history. He had 209
yards and one TD against 6-A state champion Trinity, 137 and two TDs against 6-A
finalist Male and 227 yards and three TDs in just three quarters against 3-A
state champion Central. Parker finishes his career with 3,274 yards receiving.
He had
73 catches for 1,438 yards and 12 TDs as a junior. The career yardage total
ranks fifth only behind Somerset’s John Cole (4,981), Lawrence County’s Gerad
Parker (4,736), Male’s Montrell Jones (4,345) and Mason County’s Chris Lofton
(3,511). He was named Paul Hornung Award co-winner. In basketball,
Parker was the star on one of the state’s elite teams. A guard for the Bruins,
Parker averaged 19.7 points and 6.8 rebounds a game, finishing with 1,077 career
points. He shot 49.2 percent from the field as a senior, including 34.5 percent
(87 of 252) from three-point range. Parker was a member of the Orlando
Sentinel’s All-Southern team for both sports and was the seventh leading vote
getter on the basketball All-State in hoops. Parker, who is running track in the
spring of his senior season, has signed to play football at the University of
Louisville.

Sara Hammond, Rockcastle County High

Sara Hammond set a
new standard for girls’ high school basketball players in the state of Kentucky
with some elite honors. The Rockcastle County star was not only named Miss
Basketball but she was ranked in the top 20 nationally and became
the
first female basketball player ever from the Bluegrass State to play in the
prestigious McDonald’s All-American game. The 6-foot-2 Hammond was a two-time,
first-team All-State pick and helped lead Rockcastle County to the school’s
first-ever girls’ Sweet 16 title. Playing for the Rockets, she averaged 16.3
points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.9 blocked shots, 2.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
Hammond
also won the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year award and the Associated Press
Player of the Year Award. She was named as a third-team All-American by USA
Today and in the McDonald’s game with five blocks – the third most in history.
ESPN’s HoopGurlz ranks the University of Louisville signee No. 12 in the Class
of 2011 nationally, which is the highest national ranking for any player
statewide for more than decade. Hammond averaged 10.5 points and 8.2 rebounds a
game as a sophomore and 15 points and 10.8 rebounds as a junior. During her high
school career, Hammond finished with 2,121 points, 1,584 rebounds and 523
blocked shots. The rebound total ranks her No. 9 all-time in state history while
the blocks total ranks No. 4. Hammond also ran track during her early days,
giving up the sport after a few years of running because of AAU basketball. She
placed at several state meets, including winning the 1,600 relay Class AA state
championship team as a sixth grader.

Sara
and DeVante
were honored as
the 2011 Dr. Rudy J. Ellis Sports Medicine Center High School Athletes of the Year during
the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame 2011 Induction Banquet on Wednesday evening, June 8, 2011 at the Crowne Plaza
Louisville.

Recalling our 2010 event:

Hafele, Watts, Are Kentucky
Farm Bureau

2010 High School Athletes of
the Year

Sacred Heart
Academy’s Jackie Hafele and McCreary Central’sAaron Watts
were honored as
the 2010 Kentucky Farm Bureau High School Athletes of the Year during
the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame 2010 Induction Banquet in Louisville on Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at the Crowne Plaza
Louisville.

The awards were
voted on by sportswriters and sportscasters from across the state and are
sponsored by Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance Companies.

“Kentucky Farm Bureau is proud to
sponsor and support the
Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame, which recognizes superior athletic achievement while lending support to Kosair Charities,”
says Kentucky Farm Bureau
second vice president Eddie Melton.
“We are pleased to have this opportunity to provide well-deserved recognition to
Jackie and Aaron for their outstanding athletic achievements, and we are sure
they both will build on the early promise they have shown in the high school
careers.”

Jackie Hafele, Sacred Heart Academy

Hafele is
a sensational two-sport standout at Sacred Heart Academy. She was named Miss
Soccer in the state of Kentucky as a senior and was one of the top basketball
players in the Seventh Region. She has signed to play soccer at Butler
University. In soccer, Hafele helped Sacred Heart to three consecutive state
titles. She had 11 goals and nine assists during her senior season when the
Valkyries went 19-1-2. She was the only Kentuckian named an All-American by the
National Soccer Coaches Association of America and was also named as the state’s
Gatorade Player of the Year. In basketball, she played some on the varsity as a
freshman and was a standout as a sophomore and junior. She played in only one
game as a senior because she suffered a season-ending knee injury and underwent
surgery in December 2009. She played in 55 career games and had 342 points, 220
rebounds and 102 steals. She was considered among the top seniors in the state
prior to her knee injury.

Aaron Watts, McCreary Central

The
6-foot-2, 170-pound Watts is one of the state’s top three-sport athletes in
recent years. He was named first-team All-State by The Courier-Journal in
football, is likely a first-team All-State basketball player and is also one of
the state’s top baseball players. He is being recruited in all three sports. In
basketball, Watts led his team in scoring and steals as a junior and a senior.
He averaged more than 20 points a game as a senior. In the prestigious Lexington
Catholic Tournament in December 2009, Watts averaged 23 points a game. In
football, Watts was a first-team All-State player as a defensive back and also
played several positions on offense. Watts had 1,101 yards rushing and 16
touchdowns, 530 yards passing and four TDs, three interceptions and one fumble
recovery. He returned 91 yards for a TD and had 71 tackles as a senior.
During his career, Watts finished with 3,494 yards rushing and 38 TDs, 1,450
yards passing and 14 TDs, 15 two-point conversions, 616 yards receiving and 5
TDs, three TD kickoff returns, 256 tackles and nine interceptions. In baseball,
Watts is considered one of the top outfielders in the state. His mother, Trina,
played basketball at Western Kentucky University.

Here is Kentucky Farm Bureau's announcement
following the 2010 event:

Kentucky Farm Bureau Honors

High School Athletes of the Year

Louisville, KY
(April 29, 2010) – Jackie Hafele of Sacred Heart Academy and
Aaron Watts of McCreary Central High School were recognized as the Kentucky Farm
Bureau High School Athletes of the Year during yesterday's Kentucky Athletic
Hall of Fame 2010 Induction ceremony.

Sponsored by Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance Companies, the high school honors
came following a vote by sportswriters and sportscasters throughout the state.

Kentucky Farm Bureau President Mark Haney said the sponsorship underscores the
organization’s commitment to young people. “We’re pleased to provide the
recognition for outstanding high school athletes,” Haney said. “Athletics are an
important element of the high school experience and in many instances a key part
of the culture in rural communities. Farm Bureau has a presence throughout the
state and so it is very fitting that we support this initiative.”

Hafele
is a two-sport standout at Sacred Heart Academy. A senior, she was named
Kentucky’s “Miss Soccer” and a National Soccer Coaches Association
All-American
after leading Sacred Heart to its third consecutive state championship. She had
11 goals and nine assists in leading the Valkyries to a 19-1-2 record. She has
signed to play soccer at Butler University.

Kentucky Farm
Bureau President Mark
Haney presents the 2010 Kentucky Farm Bureau Female High School Athlete of the
Year award to Sacred Heart Academy’s Jackie Hafele.

Hafele
also was a basketball star for the 7th Region power but suffered a season-ending
knee injury in the opening game of this season. She had been rated as one of the
top senior players for the 2009-10 season.

Watts
is a three-sport standout. In football, the 6-foot-2, 170-pound senior was named
first team All-State as a defensive back. On offense he ran for 1,101 yards and
had 530 yards passing. He had 16 touchdowns rushing and passed for four TDs.

He was
named to The Courier-Journal’s All-State basketball team after averaging
23 points, eight rebounds and four assists. He led the 12th Region school in
scoring the past two seasons and was named the region’s top player this year.

Kentucky Farm Bureau President Mark Haney presents the 2010 Kentucky Farm Bureau
Male High School Athlete of the Year award to McCreary Central High School’s
Aaron Watts.

Watts
also is an outstanding baseball player. He plays center field and pitches for
the Raiders. He wants to play college basketball but hasn’t selected a school.

The two
high school stars were honored along with eight individuals inducted into the
Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame. Those inductees were football greats Jeff Brohm
(Trinity High School, University of Louisville and professionally); Wilbur
Hackett (Manual High School, the University of Kentucky and a long-time
Southeastern Conference official) and Dan Neal (Atherton High School, UK and
professionally); basketball standouts Mike Pratt (UK and professionally), Lillie
Mason Stockton (Olmstead High School and Western Kentucky University) and Donna
Wise (Campbellsville University coach); golfer Buddy Demling of Louisville; and
NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip of Owensboro.

# # #

Recalling our 2009 event:

Mathies, Whiting, Named 2009

KFB High School Athletes of
the Year

Louisville,
KY. (April 30, 2009) – Iroquois High School’s Adia Mathies and Trinity High
School’s Jordan Whiting were honored as
the 2009 Kentucky Farm Bureau High School Athletes of the Year during
yesterday’s Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame 2009 Induction Banquet in Louisville.

The awards were
voted on by sportswriters and sportscasters from across the state and were
sponsored by Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance Cos.

“For the past 20
years, Kentucky Farm Bureau has been proud to support and be affiliated with the
Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame which recognizes superior athletic achievement,
all the while lending support to Kosair Charities,” said Kentucky Farm Bureau
second vice president Eddie Melton.
“We congratulate both Adia and Jordan on their outstanding accomplishments and
recognize the bright future they have ahead of them as they move forward in
their careers.”

The Kentucky Farm
Bureau Female High School Athlete of the Year, Mathies, has been one of the top
girls’ basketball players in the state for a number of years, playing at the
varsity level since she was in sixth grade. She has signed to play for the
University of Kentucky. The Louisville senior averaged close to 17 points and 12
rebounds this season, leading the Lady Raiders to a 33-1 record and the state
title, while holding a 3.5 grade point average. Mathies, a Full Court Press High
School All-American, was ranked by ESPN as the 13th best shooting
guard in the country and 65th overall player. She was recently named
Kentucky’s Miss Basketball.

The
Kentucky Farm Bureau Male High School Athlete of the Year, Whiting, was a
linebacker on the Trinity football team. The Louisville senior became the first
person in school history to be part of four state championship football teams
and has signed to play for Ohio State University. Whiting was named first-team
All-State as a junior and senior, named to three first-team All-American teams
as a senior, was a finalist for Mr. Football, and was a nominee to the U.S. Army
All-American Bowl.

He was a finalist
in the National Alliance of African American Athletes’ Watkins Award, which
promotes academic excellence among African American athletes. Whiting also
helped Trinity win state titles in wrestling, power lifting, and track and field
while holding a 3.8 grade-point average.

Lexington, Frankfort Students Named

2008 High School Athletes of the Year

Tennis Champ, Three-Sport Star Were Honored April
30, 2008

Lexington
Henry Clay High School’s Emily Carbone
and Frankfort High School’s E.J. Fields
have been named the Kentucky Farm Bureau High School Athletes of the Year. They
were honored alongside the 2008 Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame inductees at our
April 30, 2008, ceremony at the Galt House in Louisville.

“We
congratulate these athletes on all of their outstanding accomplishments both on
the field and off,” says Steve McCormick,
director of administrative services for Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance Cos.
“These students have bright futures in college and wherever their sports take
them.”

Emily Carbone

The
Kentucky Farm Bureau Female High School Athlete of the Year, Emily Carbone,
is a senior at Henry Clay High
School
in Lexington. Previously a student at Lexington Christian Academy, Carbone
helped her school win the state team title during both her freshman and
sophomore years, and she won the state singles title as a junior last
year. While she will not compete at this year’s state championships because of a
school transfer, Carbone remains the No. 1 ranked player in Kentucky and No. 27
in the country, as rated by TennisRecruiting.net. She has signed with the
University of Arkansas.

E. J. Fields

The
Kentucky Farm Bureau Male High School Athlete of the year, E.J. Fields,
is a senior at Frankfort High School and a three-sport star in
basketball, track and football. On the gridiron, he was a first-team All-State
defensive back/quarterback and led his team to the state semifinals as a
senior. In track, he captured two state titles in the 400 meter, in both his
sophomore and junior years. Fields recently signed a letter of intent with the
University of Kentucky.

Carbone and Fields were honored at the annual Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame
ceremony, on Wednesday evening (April 30) of Derby week at the Galt House in
Louisville.

All
proceeds benefit Kosair Charities, which has provided more than $124 million
since the 1980s to support the medical care of thousands of children from across
Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

Looking back:

Our 2007 High
School Honorees

Scott
County High School senior Rebecca Gray
and Male High senior Douglas
Beaumont have won numerous awards during
their high school careers.

Gray
has been one of the state’s top girls’ basketball players her entire career with
the Lady Cardinals, while Beaumont was a football standout as
well as basketball star for
the Bulldogs.

Now,
the two share a new distinction as the duo have been named Kentucky Farm Bureau High School Athletes of the
Year.
They are the first to be selected for this special recognition, which was new
this year. They were each honored during the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame induction
ceremony Wednesday evening, May 2, at The Galt House Hotel & Suites in
Louisville.

Rebecca GrayThe 5-foot-ll Gray finished her
illustrious career ranked as the 25th all-time scorer in state history with
2,907 career points. She also had 706 rebounds, 493 assists and 380 steals for
the Lady Cardinals.

Heading into her senior season, Gray — nicknamed “Bee” — was ranked nationally
as the No. 47 player by Scout.com. She is a two-time, first-team All-State
selection and was named as the 11th Region Player of the Year this season.

“Since Rebecca Gray walked into our gym in the sixth grade, she has made an
impact on our program,” coach Steve Helton says. “She has definitely left her
mark on Scott County basketball. Rebecca is a tremendous young lady with great
work ethic and a great attitude. She has great things ahead of her.”

Gray
helped Scott County to one regional title, a pair of Louisville Invitational
Tournament titles and a top-10 ranking each of the past five seasons.

As a
senior, Gray averaged 25.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 4.1 steals and
shot 88.9 percent from the free-throw line. She has signed to play basketball at
the University of North Carolina.

Douglas Beaumont
The 5-foot-9, 175-pound Beaumont left a mark on the prestigious Male gridiron
program and was named Kentucky’s Mr. Football.

“He’s
is the most productive player we have had because he did so much,” Male coach
Bob Redman says. “He was on the field all the time. He was the best linebacker,
the best running back, the best receiver, the best return guy and the best
hitter. Guys like that are rare. Honestly, I never saw him rest.”

Beaumont also won the Gatorade Player of the Year award as the state’s top
player, along with the Paul Hornung and Roy Kidd awards.

As a
senior, Beaumont carried 137 times for 1,169 yards (8.5 yards a carry) and 24
touchdowns, while catching 39 passes for 550 yards and eight IDs.

During his four-year career, Beaumont finished with 365 carries for 3,153 yards
(8.6 yards a carry) and 69 TDs, while catching 189 passes for 2,801 yards (14.8
yards a carry) and 22 TDs. He finished with 5,954 career yards, 574 total points
and 11 interceptions during his stellar career.

The
career point total is 12th all-time in state history and Beaumont trails only
former Moore star Monquantae Gibson (696 points) as the all-time leader in
Jefferson County. He’s tied for 11th in the state record books for career TDs
with 91 and 10th all ­time in career receiving yards.

In
basketball, Beaumont is a likely first-team All-State selection this season.
He’s one of the top players from Louisville and averaged 18 points a game.

Beaumont has signed to play football at the University of Louisville.

The
two high school stars were honored during the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame
induction ceremony Wednesday evening, May 2, 2007, at The Galt House Hotel & Suites on
Louisville’s riverfront.